Iveco Powerstar race transporter: Review

Name: Iveco Powerstar race transporter: Review
Brand: Iveco

We make sure the Honda motorcycle racing team makes it to the show on time in the Iveco Powerstar transporter

For most operators, trucks are the money-making tools of their business. For some though, the biggest bit of kit in the shed is simply a means of transporting the tools of the trade to the worksite and back. While the tools and the worksite may be a bit different, this is a pretty good explanation for the life of a race team transporter.

The Motologic Team Honda Racing Superbike transporter may not be the star of the team, but it does play a vital role in the team’s success. Not only is it responsible for getting the bikes, tools and spares to the track, it also acts as a mobile workshop and home away from home for the team members while it’s there.

On the road, and in the pits, it is also a mobile billboard for the team and its sponsors. Practicality is important, but presentation is also high on the agenda. Given that the bikes can’t race if they don’t get to the track, transporter reliability is paramount; the last thing the team want is to miss an event or have their mobile billboard be not so mobile at the roadside.

Motologic Team Honda Racing have two transporters – one for the Superbike team and one for the Supercross team – both towed by Iveco trucks. While the Supercross team uses an Iveco Eurocargo set up with a fifth wheeler trailer, the Superbike set-up uses a Powerstar prime mover and semi trailer to get from the workshop to events and vice-versa.

Driving the billboard

With the team’s season of racing over for the year, the last event on the 2017 calendar for the Powerstar was an appearance at the Sydney Motorcycle Show in Darling Harbour.

Given that we haven’t spent much time behind the wheel of a Powerstar for a while, Trucksales jumped at the chance to drive the transporter from the team’s base in Campbellfield, north of Melbourne, to the Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour, inner Sydney.

Given that it was not a race weekend, the Powerstar was a little under its usual gross weight. Not needing to carry all the spares, tools and extra bikes that travel to a race meeting meant the combination weighed in at just 27.58t. This made for an easy drive, with the Powerstar providing plenty of power to keep the outfit motivated.

The Team Honda Racing Powerstar is powered by a 13-litre Iveco Cursor 13 engine that delivers 450hp (336kW) and 1622lb/ft (2220Nm) of torque.

Combined with the EuroTronic 12sp automated manual transmission (AMT), and a final drive ratio of 3.58:1, the Cursor engine sits well within the efficiency band on the tacho at highway speed. This is quite handy because, at a total weight of under 28t, that’s where it spends most of its time.

In fact, over the trip from Campbellfield to Chipping Norton, the Powerstar averaged 87.6km/h. This includes the run out on the Hume Highway through Craigieburn (not the Hume Freeway/Craigieburn bypass) and the trip down Moorebank Avenue and Newbridge Road to Chipping Norton, where the bunk testing was carried out.

The trip provided some other interesting data as well, including a good fuel result of 2.88km/l. It was interesting to see how the lightweight combination performed, and with plenty of experience on the Hume Freeway, I can tell you that I was on the accelerator more than I would be with a fully loaded combination. The reason was that the Powerstar didn’t have the weight behind it to push off the hills and maintain the rolling momentum when it hit the flat.

The benefit was that it maintained top gear on all but three climbs, with manual selected to hold the transmission in top gear on the longer or steeper grades. If it was left in auto, it would select 11th gear and lose momentum during the shift, leading to a slower climb. By locking in top gear, the engine would work right down to 1000rpm, and use the low-down torque to maintain forward momentum. The Cursor engine seemed to really enjoy lugging at low rpm, and by eliminating the torque break experienced during a gearshift, maintained a higher speed at the top of a hill.

A day in the cab

Having left Campbellfield at a little after 10.00am, and not needing to be in Sydney until 7.00am the following day, there was no need to push hard and maintain a tight schedule. That said, it was still 100km/h an hour on the freeway to get accurate, real-world fuel figures.

The surprising thing was that, even without the time pressure, I still maintained my normal schedule and avoided the sightseeing. Aside from a couple of nature calls, it was express from Campbellfield to Holbrook, then on to Marulan before chugging on to Chipping Norton. While a lot of drivers don’t have the luxury of making two stops between Melbourne and Sydney, I like to get out at Marulan and stretch the legs before dealing with the traffic in Sydney. For the time difference it makes, it’s worth it at the other end.

The environment in the cab meant that there was no need to make any additional stops. The ride and noise levels made it a comfortable drive, and while I may have taken slightly longer rest breaks (45mins instead of being strictly 30mins), there was no reason not to keep driving while the book said I could.

On arrival at Chipping Norton the trip computer, and my work diary, showed nine hours of driving time, with the trip taking 10hrs45min in total (including the extended rest breaks).

Neat and tidy

Why stop at Chipping Norton you ask? Being the showpiece that it is, the transporter needed a wash before going on display at the show, and there is no better truck wash in Sydney (some might say Australia) than Neal’s Transport Wash, located in the old Southern Cross Freight Terminal.

With the mattress testing complete (it passed with flying colours), the guys at Neal’s set to work on the Powerstar at 7.00am, and the results didn’t disappoint. Everyone loves having a clean truck, and when it’s presented as well as the Team Honda Racing transporter, the experience is just that bit sweeter. Even in the city traffic, seeing people taking pics as you roll on by is enough to put a smile on your face.

The Powerstar, while it may seem like overkill, is the perfect truck for this role. With great levels of driver comfort, enough power to maintain good trip times and a driveline that returns good fuel figures, it makes good sense. While opinions might be divided on the Powerstar’s looks, it’s certainly hard to miss, and looks the goods in the team colours. It really does provide a great all-round package in terms of representing the team and its sponsors.

Trucksales would like to thank the team at Motologic Team Honda Racing for trusting us with their image and reputation, and for the time behind the wheel of the Powerstar. After so long between drives, the Powerstar certainly didn’t disappoint.

Specificaitons:

Engine: Iveco Cursor 13 Euro 5

Engine displacement: 12.9 litres

Maximum Output: 450hp/336kW at 1900rpm

Maximum Torque: 1622lb ft/2200Nm at 1000rpm

Emissions: Selective Catalytic Reduction

GVM: 24.5 tonnes

GCM: 50.0 tonnes

Transmission: Iveco EuroTronic II 12AS2330 TO automated 12-speed overdrive

Rear axles: Meritor RT40-145 with alloy hubs

Capacity: 18.1 tonnes

Ratios: 3.58